Organizational and Talent Development Specialist

Rice University•Houston, TX

2d•$85,000 - $92,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Human Resources team is seeking an Organizational and Talent Development Specialist to support Rice University’s strategic priorities by organizing, facilitating, and delivering training programs and workshops for new and current employees throughout Rice, either in-person or asynchronous. This role integrates technology, data, and development practices to enhance employee performance, strengthen leadership capability, and foster a culture of continuous learning and accountability.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.
Three or more (3+) years of experience in a role as a corporate training, coach or similar.
Excellent communication, presentation and public speaking skills; strong organizational and time management skills.
Strong experience with MS Office (specifically PowerPoint), and e-learning software.
Demonstrated ability to take initiative and ownership of projects; work independently; manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment; research issues; solve problems; propose solutions; adapt to changing priorities; and meet deadlines.
Ability to develop engaging training materials, presentations, and solutions using creative approaches, ability to apply adult learning principles to design impactful training and development programs.
Strong understanding of workplace dynamics with the ability to recommend and facilitate effective interventions; ability to identify development gaps and create targeted, business-aligned solutions.
Adept at leading team sessions and meetings to drive decision-making, problem-solving, and team effectiveness.
Experience with workplace assessments (e.g., DiSC, Birkman, StrengthsFinder); certification in assessment tools strongly preferred.
Excellent interpersonal skills, with a client-service orientation and the ability to build relationships and collaborate effectively across the University while respecting individual needs.
Ability to interpret data and translate insights into actionable recommendations.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting organizational change initiatives.
Familiarity with higher education or complex organizations.
Advanced experience with Oracle Cloud Fusion or similar platforms.
Certification or training in coaching, facilitation, or instructional design.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and facilitate instructor-led and e-learning programs and workshops on topics such as leadership, performance, effectiveness, communication and other interpersonal skills.
Facilitate workshops using assessment such as Birkman, DISc or StrengthFinders, and translating the findings in relevant, actionable solutions and programs for respective groups.
Provide ad-hoc and planned coaching and guidance to leaders on performance, communication, and team effectiveness.
Design and facilitate team interventions to align teams with organizational goals; strengthen communication, leadership effectiveness, trust, and team cohesion.
Support Director of Training and Development with marketing of Rice’s offerings, by crafting and sending general and targeted messages to leadership, managers and employees, updating websites, calendars and plannings, and preparing and conducting presentations for relevant employee groups.
Using course development philosophies as ADDIE and Adult Learning Theory, develop 4 to 6 complete course per year in fields and areas that have the greatest impact.
Support the Director Training & Development in conducting needs assessments to ensure the training is focused on the areas needed the most.
Manage and maintain learning management systems (LMS), including course assignments, tracking, and reporting to relevant stakeholders and leadership.
Support the performance management lifecycle (goal setting, check-ins, evaluations), through training and coaching, ensuring data accuracy and compliance.
Design, update and run reporting on Performance Management status for effective follow-up.
Build and maintain relationships with HR partners, leaders, and staff across the university.
Analyze performance and learning data to inform decisions and continuous improvement.
Participate in projects as they arise.